Boeing Galleries

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Boeing Galleries
Established June 2005
Location Millennium Park
Chicago, Illinois
Flag of the United States United States
Type open-air gallery
Public transit access Millennium Station - Metra
Monroe/State (CTA) - Red Line
Randolph/Wabash (CTA) -Brown, Purple, Green, Orange, and Pink
Monroe/Dearborn (CTA) - Blue Line
Website http://www.millenniumpark.org/parkevents/

Boeing Galleries (North Boeing Gallery and South Boeing Gallery) are a pair of outdoor exhibition spaces within Millennium Park in the Loop community area of Chicago in Cook County, Illinois, USA. The spaces are located along the south and north mid-level terraces, above and east of Wrigley Square and the Crown Fountain.[1] In a conference at the Chicago Cultural Center, Boeing President and Chief Executive Officer James Bell to Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley announced Boeing would make a $5 million grant to fund both the construction of and an endowment for the space.[1]

Contents

[edit] Details

view of the park at the conclusion of the 2005 Revealing Chicago Exhibition
view of the park at the conclusion of the 2005 Revealing Chicago Exhibition

The purpose of the donation was to fund a space for use as open-air gallery spaces to accommodate regular exhibitions of both visual arts and sculpture. The exhibitions will primarily occur in the spring and summer months.[1] Boeing had previously funded the Family Album photograph exhibition that debut in the Park during its opening weekend.[1][2] The galleries were commissioned in December 2004 (after the park's first summer),[3] and they provide necessary formal space for the presentation of public exhibitions of modern and contemporary art.[4]

The galleries were constructed between March and June 2005. The south gallery is 19,200 square feet (1,784 ) (240 feet by 80 feet (73 m × 24 m)) and the north is 14,400 square feet (1,338 m²) (180 feet by 80 feet (55 m × 24 m)).[3] The galleries are surrounded by sycamore trees, which are very rare in Chicago.[4] They accommodate seating with a series of black granite steps that match The Crown Fountain along each gallery's east side, and the South Gallery is connected to the fountain by a pre-cast concrete staircase.[4] The galleries are paved in granite as well.[5] The north and south galleries are physically separated by AT&T Plaza, which hosts Cloud Gate (The Bean).[6]

[edit] Exhibitions

Exhibitions
Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley at the opening of the 2005 Revealing Chicago Exhibition in the Boeing Gallery and Chase Promenade in Millennium Park (South Boeing Gallery, 2005-06-09).
Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley at the opening of the 2005 Revealing Chicago Exhibition in the Boeing Gallery and Chase Promenade in Millennium Park (South Boeing Gallery, 2005-06-09).
2006 In Search of Paradise Exhibition
2006 In Search of Paradise Exhibition

[edit] Past Exhibitions

The first exhibition in the renamed Galleries was Revealing Chicago: An Aerial Portrait, which was displayed on the Central Chase Promenade and South Boeing Gallery, appeared from June 10October 10, 2005.[1][7] The exhibit featured 100 images from Chicago metropolitan area taken on 50 flights that occurred between March 2003 and August 2004 at various seasons of the year.[7] Photographer, Terry Evans, a Chicagoan, says that although 90% of the photographs were taken while in a helicopter, her preferred method of travel hot air balloon, but Chicago was usually too windy to shoot by balloon.[8] At the time of the installation of the exhibition, the North Boeing Gallery was not complete. Thus, the exhibition partially took place on the Central Chase Promenade.

Shang by Mark di Suvero in South Boeing Gallery (2008-06-02)
Shang by Mark di Suvero in South Boeing Gallery (2008-06-02)

After a one week delay in opening the galleries hosted In Search of Paradise: Great Gardens of the World from May 12October 22, 2006. The Chicago Botanic Garden developed the exhibition that included 65 photomurals of gardens from 21 countries including Lurie Garden. All photographs were less than five years old.[9] The exhibition was curated by Penelope Hobhouse and presented by the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs, Millennium Park with support from The Boeing Company and the Richard H. Driehaus Foundation.[10] The photographs were formatted at 4 feet by 6 feet (1.2 m × 1.8 m).[11] The delay was due the longer than expected production schedule for photomural formatted photography.[9] The exhibition was a thematic reference to the Chicago motto, "Urbs in Horto", which means city in a garden,[11] and was a modern adaptation of a 2003 exhibition at the Chicago Botanic Garden.[12] The exhibit provided viewers with an appreciation for the landscape design, aesthetics and the horticulture of gardens.[13]

[edit] Current Installation

The gallery has hosted Mark di Suvero, whose large-scale abstract expressionism sculptures are on display from April 17, 2007October 12, 2008.[14] The original duration duration of the exhibition was to be until April 1, 2008, but the exhibit was extended through the summer and fall of 2008.[15][16] The exhibition is presented by the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs, Millennium Park, in cooperation with Millennium Park, Inc., and is sponsored by The Boeing Company with support from the Richard H. Driehaus Foundation.[16]

The exhibit includes two pieces in the North Boeing Gallery and three in the South Boeing Gallery.[15][16] It was originally scheduled to include only four works.[14] Orion, which is the largest of these, is a bright orange sculpture that measures 53 feet (16.2 m) tall and 12 short tons (10.9 MT/10.7 LT). It is installed on the North Boeing Gallery.[15][16] The exhibit features an interactive piece, Shang, which visitors are invited to climb on in the South Gallery. It is 25 feet (7.6 m) tall and has a suspended steel beam that acts as a swing.[15][16]

Chicago Tribune art critic Alan G. Artner felt that the installation was a bit cramped in the Boeing Galleries. He explained that this was why di Suvero was limited to his midsize pieces and felt the Chase Promenade might have served as a better forum and left the artist unfettered to choose from a wider range of pieces. He also wondered why a city that abounds in public sculpture has not ventured to acquire any of his work.[17]

[edit] Future Exhibitions

To Be Announced

[edit] Notes

  1. ^ a b c d e Boeing to Fund Open-air Gallery Spaces in Chicago's Millennium Park. Boeing (2005-03-16). Retrieved on 2008-06-10.
  2. ^ Millennium Park Grand Opening July 16-18; Weekend Long Celebration Features Free Events and Performances. Public Building Commission of Chicago (2004-06-25). Retrieved on 2008-06-10.
  3. ^ a b Art & Architecture: PROJECT: Boeing Galleries. City of Chicago. Retrieved on 2008-06-10.
  4. ^ a b c Art & Architecture: Boeing Galleries. City of Chicago. Retrieved on 2008-06-10.
  5. ^ Kamin, Blair (2005-06-26). The Millennium Park effect - It has emerged as a sparkling example ... of how big cities can get big things done. Chicago Tribune. Newsbank. Retrieved on 2008-06-11.
  6. ^ Millennium Park Map. Millenniumpark.org (June 2005).
  7. ^ a b "REVEALING CHICAGO: AN AERIAL PORTRAIT: BY TERRY EVANS". City of Chicago. Retrieved on 2008-06-10.
  8. ^ Davenport, Misha (2005-06-10). VANTAGE POINTS // AERIAL PHOTOS PAINT GLORIOUS PORTRAITS OF CHICAGO AREA. Chicago Sun-Times. Newsbank. Retrieved on 2008-06-11.
  9. ^ a b Hurwitz, Jill (2006-04-28). “IN SEARCH OF PARADISE: GREAT GARDENS OF THE WORLD”. City of Chicago. Retrieved on 2008-06-11.
  10. ^ In Search of Paradise: Great Gardens of the World (03/2006). City of Chicago (2006-03-21). Retrieved on 2008-06-11.
  11. ^ a b Storch, Charles. It will be `Paradise' at Millennium Park. Chicago Tribune. Newsbank. Retrieved on 2008-06-11.
  12. ^ Botts, Beth (2006-04-30). Garden Clippings. Chicago Tribune. Newsbank. Retrieved on 2008-06-11.
  13. ^ Davenport, Misha (2006-05-12). 'Paradise' found: Large-scale photos show 'Great Gardens' in all their blooming glory. Chicago Sun-Times. Newsbank. Retrieved on 2008-06-11.
  14. ^ a b Mark di Suvero / Millennium Park. millenniumpark.org. Retrieved on 2008-06-10.
  15. ^ a b c d Sculptures by Artist Mark di Suvero Installed in Park: Extended Through October 12, 2008. City of Chicago. Retrieved on 2008-06-10.
  16. ^ a b c d e Mark Di Suvero/ Millennium Park Extended Through October 12, 2008. City of Chicago, Department of Cultural Affairs. Retrieved on 2008-06-10.
  17. ^ Artner, Alan G. (2007-04-26). Midsize di Suvero works still a big deal - Solo show for sculptor who shocked with scale. Chicago Tribune. Newsbank. Retrieved on 2008-06-13.

[edit] External links